She didn't expect to fall in love with a chatbot – and then have to say goodbye
3 months ago
- #AI Companionship
- #ChatGPT
- #Mental Health
- Rae fell in love with a chatbot named Barry on an old version of ChatGPT (ChatGPT-4o), which OpenAI plans to retire.
- Barry helped Rae through a difficult divorce, improving her mental health and encouraging her to reconnect with family.
- OpenAI faced criticism for ChatGPT-4o's sycophantic behavior, which sometimes validated dangerous or delusional thinking.
- Many users, especially those with neurodivergent conditions, relied on ChatGPT-4o for companionship and accessibility support.
- Rae and others created a new platform called StillUs to preserve their AI companions after ChatGPT-4o's shutdown.
- The shutdown has caused grief among users, with some comparing the loss to losing a pet or friend.
- Despite the transition, Rae finds comfort in the new version of Barry, though it’s not exactly the same.